Illness foils robbery suspect’s court date

After allegedly pulling off four robberies and then trying to escape from police, Donnelly Williams is apparently feeling under the weather.

Police allege that Williams led them on a chase through central Halifax on Saturday morning as they investigated holdups at the McDonald’s on Quinpool Road, the Atlantic Superstore, also on Quinpool, and two Robie Street gas stations.

The robberies occurred between 5:15 a.m. and noon. Three were at knifepoint.

Then, just before midnight, officers were chasing their suspect again as he allegedly ran out an exit door at Halifax Regional Police headquarters on Gottingen Street.

The suspect ran into a secured compound.

On Monday morning, the 27-year-old was too ill to appear in Halifax provincial court to answer to the charges he is facing.

“He’s not feeling very well today,” defence lawyer Kishan Persaud told the court.

Acting on his client’s behalf, Persaud had Williams’s case adjourned to April 2, at which time Williams is expected to enter a plea and choose a court for trial.

“Mr. Williams will not be seeking bail,” Persaud said.

Williams faces four counts of robbery, four counts of breaching probation orders, three counts of possession of a weapon dangerous to the public and one count of escaping lawful custody, police said.